Cushioning mechanism



`lian. 30`, 1951 E. H. BLATTNER 2,540,041

CUSHIONING MECHANISM Filed NOV. 14, 1945 Patented Jan. 30, 1951 ATENT OFFICE CUSHIONING MECHANISM Emil H. Blattner, Rochester, N. Y., assignor to The Symington-Gould N. Y., a corporation 0f Maryland Application November 14, 1945, Serial No. 628,438

3 Claims.

This invention relates to a cushioning mechanism and more particularly to a draft gear arranged for positioning between draft sills of a railway car to receive and absorb draft and buffing forces applied thereto.

An object of the invention generally considered is the provision of an improved draft gear or cushioning mechanism wherein a spring and friction means is actuated by a follower, the latter of which is built into and forms a part of the draft gear.

Another object of the invention is the provision, in a cushioning mechanism, of an integral housing having interlocked therewith an integral follower, the latter of which is so arranged and constructed as to determine the full or complete compressive movement of the cushioning mechamsm. Y

These and other objects of the invention will be apparent from the succeeding description of an exemplified form of the invention which is illustrated by the accompanying drawing wherein:

Figure 1 is a partial side elevational and partial longitudinal sectional view of an illustrative species of the present invention.

Figure 2 is a fragmentary horizontal sectional view of the structure shown in Figure l and taken along the lines 2-2 thereof, looking in the direction of the arrows.

Figure 3 is a transverse sectional view taken along the lines 3 3 of Figure 1, looking in the direction of the arrows.

Referring now in detail to the drawing, wherein like reference characters indicate like parts, the numeral I is employ-ed to designate,l in a somewhat general manner, a cushioning mechanism or draft gear adapted particularly to be employed as a friction draft gear fora railway Vehicle and to be disposed between draft sills to occupy what is commonly known as the draft gear pocket thereof. The cushioning mechanism of the present invention is generally of the class shown, described and claimed in the United States Letters Patent No. 2,141,680, granted December 27, 1938, Ato D. S. Barrows.

The illustrated form of the present invention comprises a friction casing, barrel or housing 2 closed preferably at one end by the transverse end wall 3 which forms the front end of the draft gear but may, if desired, be so arranged and constructed as to form the rear extremity of the cushioning mechanism. As clearly illustrated in Figures 1 .and 2 of the drawing, the housing has, projecting horizontally from the end wall, upper and lower Corporation, Depew,

or connecting walls 4 joined by spaced side walls 5 to form a cavity or pocket 6 therebetween. Disposed within the barrel pocket is a release spring or resilient means 'I made up desirably of three nested coil or helical springs. While there is shown a nest of three springs, it will be appreciated that this number may vary and also this variation may extend to the character of the springs depending on the desired or required capacity of the draft gear. The one cr inner end 8 of the release springs abut or bear against the end -wall 3 while the outermost end 9 of the springs react against an inner or inside floating plate or follower I0.

Each of the upper or lower and connecting walls 4 are formed preferably with a plurality of inclined or sloping or inwardly facing surfaces II of stepped arrangement to present an abutment or shoulder I2 therebetween. The sloping surfaces are disposed at an angle to a plane passing midway between connecting walls longitudinally of the cushioning mechanism and more particularly are disposed in an outwardly flared direction to form, in effect, a double bell mouth at or near the open end I3 of the housing.

Positioned entirely Iwithin the connes of the barrel is a pair of oppositely spaced wedge or friction creating members or components I4 with eachv wedge having a series of connected, outwardly facing plane, inclined or sloping faces I5 arranged to bear, in surface relation, against the adjacent sloping surfaces of the housing. When the draft gear is subjected to forces which tend to compress the mechanism, the wedges will be urged further into the gear andy this wedge movement will cause a rubbing action of the surfaces I I and faces I5 to thus create frictional forces to add to the coil spring capacity in building up the compressive value toward the desired total capacity thereof. The sloping faces of each wedge are joined by a transverse face I6 which presents a barrier arranged to engage the associated abutment I2 of the friction casing to thereby limit movement of the wedges outwardly of the housing. Each wedge is also provided with an inner transverse surface Il which bears at all times against the floating follower so that, as the wedges are moved longitudinally of the barrel, they are also moved into a direction across the floating follower and thus frictonal forces are also created by the brushing action of the transverse wedge surfaces against the floating follower.

Maintaining the wedges in intimate contact with the housing connecting walls are a pair of backed packs of semi-elliptically formed spring 3 plates or resilient elements I8 which act against one another adjacent an area midway between their ends. Each pack of spring plates has its free end I9 thereof bearing upon inturned walls 2i) of a related wedge so that each resilient element spans or bridges an associated wedge to urge the latter against a connecting'wall of the barrel.

Removably secured to and forming a part of the cushioning mechanism is a follower or movable block 2l comprising a plate-like member or rear plate 22 having overall transverse dimensions equal to or preferably approximating those of the corresponding dimensions of the barrel or housing. The distance between the inner surface 23 of the rear plate and the related or open end of the housing is equal to the permissible comprehensive movement of the draft gear.' Projecting from one side of the follower plate is a reduced section or neck 24 which extends in part into the confinesv of the housing where it terminates laterally in a follower inner plate or disc-like member 25. The latter mentioned plate is desirably in intimate contact with or, bears against a transverse surface 2t of each related wedge inturned wall. It might be observed at thisy point in the description that any movement of the follower longitudinally of the mechanism will cause the surfaces 2S to brush along the inner plate to create additional frictional forces for augmenting the capacity of the draft gear.

It will be noted further that the edges 22a of the movable block are inclined and rounded and since thesetrounded edges are positioned adjacent the draft sills they present no sharp corners to scrape along the draft sills. Preferably, these rounded edges are positionedinwardly or transversely of the outer plane of the housing connecting walls and, accordingly, any movement of the follower block 2l will be free from interference with the draftI sills.

At or near the open end I3y of the housing is a pair of lugs or ribs 21 which extend toward one another from the housing connecting walls so as to restrict the clear opening into the barrel. These lugs extending preferably for only a short distance from each side of thel center of the gear (see Fig-ure 3) are positioned in pockets or cavities ,2-8= in fthe/inner follower so as to be in arresting or abutting relation with respect to the shoulders 2 `forming a part of the inner plate. As will Abe noted, the follower parts in and about the housing opening have sufficient clearance thereabout to permit an angling or transverse movement of the follower relative to the housing and its component parts, and it will be noted further that by being interlocked with the housing the follower is prevented from shifting beyond a predetermined amount relative to the housing, this latter feature thereby preventing an unwarranted scraping or rubbing action between the follower and draft sills with whichit may be associated.

The assembly of the gear is as follows. The housing is placed on a suitable support with its open end up at which time the resilient means 1 are placed within the housing and the floating plate is then deposited within the` casing. The friction means comprising the wedges and interposed resilient elements I8 are then poised at the open mouth of the. casing and then by means of a suitablev power device the friction means is forced intov the housing until the faces I6 of the wedges are spaced asuicient distance from abutments i2 at which time a 'block or blocks of any nature is inserted into the housing between the faces IG and abutments I2. This will position the surfaces 26 of the wedges well within the housing and the shoulders'29 of the front follower can then be threaded over the ribs 21 to form the interlock between the follower and housing. A removal of the blocks will permit the gear to eX- pand and its parts assume the relationship illustrated in the drawing.

From the above it will be noted that various changes and alterations may be made to the illustrated and described construction without departing from the spirit of the invention and scope of the appended claims.

I claim:

1. In a draft gear, the combination of, a cast housing having an integral closed end and an open end, coil springs means within said housing and bearing against said closed end, a oating plate bearing against said coil spring means spaced from said closed end, a pair of wedges in frictional engagement with inclined surfaces in said housing and said oating plate, spring means between said wedges for urging the latter against said housing inclined surfaces, oppositely disposed lugs formed integrally with said housing at said open end, said lugs being positioned beyond limits of all of said spring means and wedges and restricting the clear opening into said housing, an integral follower block having a plate spaced from said open end of said housing by a distance equal to the compressive movement of said draft gear, and integral shoulders on said follower within said housing andy in overlapping relation with said lugs; said shoulders .having outwardly facing pockets for the reception of said lugs.

2. In a draft gear, the combination of, a cast housing having an integral closed end and an open end, coil spring means within said housing in bearing relation with said closed end, a floating plate spaced from said closed end and bearing upon said coil spring means, spaced wedges entirely within said housing and in frictional engagement with inclined surfaces in said housing and said floating plate, leaf spring means between said wedgesy for urging the latter against said housing inclined surfaces, lugs extending toward one another and inwardly of said housing adjacent said open end, an integral follower having a plate removed from said housing by an amount substantially equal to a compressive movement of said draft gear, and integral shoulders on said follower spaced from said follower plate; said shoulders being positioned between said wedges and lugs; said shoulder having outwardly facing pockets for the reception of said lugs.

3. 'In a draft gear, the combination of, a cast Ihousing having an integral closed end and an open end, coil spring means within said' housing and bearing against said closed end, a floating plate within said housing positioned intermediate the ends thereof and bearing against said coil spring means, spaced wedges in frictional engagement with inclined surfaces in said housing and said floating plate, leaf spring means between said wedges for urging the latter apart against said housing inclined surfaces, means formed integrally with said housing and restricting the clear opening thereinto, an integral follower having a plate normally spaced from and arranged to contact said housing to limit the compressive movement of said draft gear, a reduced neck portion extending from said. follower plate and into said housing, an inner plate formed S on said follower within said housing and joined REFERENCES CITED to said neck portion in spaced relation to said The following references are of record in the follower plate, said inner plate arranged to enme of this patent: gage frictionally said wedges, and integral oppositely directed shoulders in alignment with said 5 UNITED STATES PATENTS -follower inner plate and arranged to engage said Number Name Date housing integral means for limiting outward 1,318,186 Symington Oct. 7, 1919 movement of said follower relative to said hous- 1,713,960 Geiger May 21, 1929 ing; said shoulders having pockets for the accom- 1,979,524 Barrows Nov. 6, 1934 modation of said housing integral means. l0 2,076,769 Dentler Apr. 13, 1937 2,335,847 Dath Dec. 7, 1943 EMIL H. BLATTNER. 2,411,956 Dath Dec. 3, 1946 

